How To Quote A Cleaning Job (Win More, Lose Less)
Quoting is where most cleaning businesses leak money. Quote too low and you work for free. Quote too high without backing it up and the client ghosts. There's a method that beats both — and most experienced cleaners use it without realising.
This guide breaks down exactly how to quote a cleaning job for every type of work, with formulas, examples and a copy-paste quote template.
1. Always ask the right questions first
- Property type, bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage if available.
- Last professional clean (last week vs last year changes everything).
- Pets, smokers, end of tenancy or moving in?
- Access — keys, lockbox, in person?
- Frequency — one-off, weekly, fortnightly?
2. The simple pricing formula
For most domestic work: (hourly rate × estimated hours) + (consumables/travel) + 10–15% buffer. Round to a tidy number. Never quote down because it "feels too much", your buffer is what protects you when the job takes longer than expected.
3. How to quote a domestic regular clean
Estimate how long the clean realistically takes, multiply by your hourly rate, add travel and consumables, then round to a tidy number. Offer a small recurring discount when the client books a weekly or fortnightly slot, locking in the next visit at the door is what turns a one-off into a regular.
4. How to quote end of tenancy
Always quote per property, never per hour, and always view first or get photos. Price from bedrooms, bathrooms and condition, and itemise oven, carpets and external windows as add-ons so clients can see the value of each.
5. How to quote a commercial / office clean
Quote per visit so the client can budget around a flat monthly cost. Include bins, surfaces, kitchen, toilets, hoover, mop and consumable restock as standard. Add for windows, floor machine work and deep periodic cleans.
6. The quote template that closes more jobs
- Brief intro: "Thanks for your enquiry, here's your no-obligation quote."
- Service summary in plain English (not a giant bullet list).
- Total price, clear, not buried.
- What's included.
- What's optional (with prices).
- Date you can start.
- One-click way to confirm (WhatsApp reply, link, or email).
7. Send the quote within 60 minutes
Conversion rates fall by roughly half for every hour you delay sending a quote. Use a quoting tool inside your cleaning software so you can send a professional, branded quote from your phone before you've even left the previous job.
Cleaning quote template (UK)
A UK cleaning quote template should fit on one page: client and property details, service summary, total price, what's included, optional add-ons with prices, start date, payment terms and a one-click way to confirm. Send it within 60 minutes for the best conversion.
How much to charge for a one off clean
Price one-off cleans by the property, not by the hour, clients want a fixed number before they book. Always view the property or ask for photos first, quoting blind regularly costs cleaners money.
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People also ask
Common related searches cleaning business owners run on Google.
How do you price a cleaning job?+
Multiply estimated hours by your hourly rate, add consumables and travel, then apply a 10–15% buffer and round up to a tidy number. Send the quote within an hour for the best conversion.
How should I price a deep clean?+
Price deep cleans by the property, not the hour, condition makes the time required vary wildly. Always view first or ask for photos before quoting, and quote a range until you've seen the space.
Should cleaning quotes be hourly or fixed?+
Recurring domestic cleans and end of tenancy work best as fixed quotes, clients prefer a known price. Hourly is better for unknown-condition deep cleans and small one-off odd jobs.
How long should a cleaning quote be valid?+
14–30 days is standard. Always include the expiry date in the quote so prices can be reviewed if the client books months later.
Frequently asked questions
How do I quote a cleaning job?
Multiply estimated hours by your hourly rate, add consumables, travel and a 10–15% buffer, then round up to a tidy number. Always send the quote within an hour of the enquiry for the best conversion.
Should I quote cleaning per hour or per job?
Recurring domestic and end of tenancy are best quoted per job (clients prefer a fixed price). One-off odd jobs, deep cleans of unknown condition, and small commercial work can be quoted per hour.
How long should a cleaning quote be valid?
14–30 days is standard. Always include the validity in the quote so prices can be reviewed without awkwardness if the client books months later.
What should be in a cleaning quote?
Service summary, total price, what's included, what's optional with separate prices, start date, payment terms and a one-click way to confirm. Keep it under one page.
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